Hunters Point Power Plant closure party
ends past lack of cooperation

Quiets timely contention

Bayview-Hunters Point residents arrive by private transportation to attend a party commemorating the closure of PG&E's Hunters Point power plant. New PG&E transmission lines preceded closure.

WE DID IT - Off switch emblematic of decades long community, PG&E, and City effort to find a better way. Smiles from left, James Bryant, president of the A Philip Randolph Institute; Linda Richardson, chair of Close it! Coalition; District 10 Supervisor Sophie Maxwell; elected representative of Hunters Point; and Tom King, president of PG&E.

Plant closure brought an end to past conflict and quieted timely contention. Don't look at former Mayor Willie Brown whose administration backed plant closure - look at Mayor Gavin Newsom and District Attorney Kamala Harris.
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Pat Murphy

Copyright fogcityjournal.com 2006

May 24, 2006

Rain clouds literally parted over the once polluting Hunters Point Power Plant moments before those who once glared at each other joined hands to officially shut it down Tuesday.

After 77 years of service, the plant ceased production May 15 but all involved needed yesterday's buffet party to break bread together in celebration and relief.

Some 400 people attended with the dais so packed with participant luminaries it would have constituted audience size and lesser gatherings.

Dais did not buckle.

Approximately 30 acres of prime San Francisco land is now ripe for development with the City having first rights of refusal.

Civic leader James Bryant hailed neighborhood involved in that coming land use decision as now possible, and looked back to a time when chances for participation "were slim to none."

James Bryant, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute in San Francisco.

"I want to respect the face that PG&E has kept their word, has followed this process through, to see this closing of plant," stated Bryant.

"When we all started working on this process the chances of having everybody in this community getting together was slim to none.

"The more I went around to this community... it occurred to me that this wasn't a real problem at all.

"Every single person, whether they agreed on how to reach the goal of closing this plant, everyone had the goal to close this power plant, and today... as I was saying to someone earlier 'You know we had a little rain this morning... but at twelve noon the sun popped out.

"And all of the people who are now here of many multitudes, of many backgrounds are all here today to join in and be part of this great movement, this great moment and this great time."

PG&E president Tom King praised community tenacity.

"The closing ceremony of Hunters Point Power Plant marks the commitment of many individuals to find an alternative source of energy for San Francisco and to created an environmentally conscious means of doing so," King said.

PG&E president Tom King, right, joins San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom
in look out over celebration crowd.

Mayor Gavin Newsom noted San Francisco may now move toward making the community "healthier and stronger."

Tuesday marked beginning of a healthier and strong community,
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom pledged.

"Today is an historic day for San Francisco and most especially for the people of our Southeast neighborhoods," reported Newsom.

"We are here today, thanks to the heroic efforts of this community and the commitment by PG&E and the City to make our community healthier and stronger."

District 10 Supervisor Sophie Maxwell.

Hallelujah!

Civil Service Commission President, Linda Richardson

####